Bucket construction for tractor loaders



Feb. 26, 1963 D. G. LOWERY BUCKET CONSTRUCTION FOR TRACTOR LOADERS Filed NOV. 14, 1960 7I/\/ 1/ ENTOE .DONA LD 62/0 1 89/ I ArroEA/Ey United States Patent 3,079,019 BUCKET (JtlNdTRUCTlGN FOR TRACTUR LQADERS Donald G. Lowery, Roselle, lll., assignor to The Frank G. lough Co., a corporation of Illinois Filed Nov. 14, 196i), Ser. No. 6%,177 Claims. (Cl. 214-145) This invention relates generally to tractor loaders, and more specifically to an improved bucket construction for a front-end type tractor loader.

When front-end-type tractor loaders are used in the working of granular-type materials, a persistent problem involves the retaining of substantial loads in the bucket. Because of the free-iiowing tendency of most granular materials, such as granular fertilizers, the traveling of the loader with a loaded bucket results in substantial losses of the load due to vibration and jostling of the bucket as the tractor loader travels.

it is the object of the present invention to provide a relatively simple bucket attachment which will provide for good load-carrying capacity of the bucket of a tractor loader when working free-flowing granulated materials.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide simple means in an arrangement as described above wherein the load-retaining means will not interfere with but can aid the digging and loading functions of the bucket.

Gther objects and features of the present invention will be apparent upon a perusal of the following specification and dis wing of which:

FIGURE 1 is a side-elevational View of a front-endtype tractor loader constructed according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a partial view similar to FIGURE 1 but with the bucket in the load-carrying position; and

EGURE 3 is a front-plan view of the bucket of FIG- URES l and 2.

The present embodiment is the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that changes can be made in the present er lbodiment by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

For a general description of the present invention, reference is made to the drawings. The present invention comprises a bucket construction wherein the width of the bucket measured transversely of the tractor is substantially greater than the other dimensions of the bucket. A plurality of substantially rectangular plates are provided, and these plates are secured between the side walls of the bucket in a substantially parallel spaced-apart relationship to each other with the plates generally positioned perpendicular to the surface defined by the forward marginal edges of the side walls, top wall, and bottom wall of the bucket and with substantially the same number of plates disposed on each side of and somewhat parallel to a plane perpendicular to the open side of the bucket and including the pivotal axis of the bucket on the boom of the tractor. Portions of the plates extend into the confines of the bucket to stabilize a free-ilowing granular material therein, and portions extend outwardly from the bucket to define load-retaining members substantially increasing the carrying capacity of the bucket when filled with a granulated free-flowing material and when the bucket is vibrated and jostled in the carrying position as the tractor travels. With the described bucket arrangement, the bucket may be projected into a pile of granulated material with relatively easy filling of the bucket as the boom is pivoted or as the bucket is pivoted relative to the boom in the loading action thereof. The plates also serve to break any large lumps of the granulated material in the loading operation.

For a detailed description of the present invention, con- 3,679,019 ?atented Feb. 26, 19%? tinued reference is made to the drawings. The details of the tractor 1t) and the details of the manner in which the boom ll and linkage means 12 operate to pivot and raise and lower the bucket 13 need not be described herein, it being suificient for the purposes of the present invention to make reference to U.S. Patent 2,822,098. It may generally be noted that when the hydraulic ram 14 is extended, the boom is pivoted to raise the forward end thereof about the axis of pin means 15, and retraction of the hydraulic ram 14 will cause a lowering thereof. Also, generally, when the hydraulic ram 16 is extended, the link 17 of the linkage means 12 is moved somewhat longitudinally of the tractor to pivot the bucket 13 relative to the boom.

The bucket 13 is operatively connected to the boom 11 and linkage means 12 by pin means 18 and 19, respecively. The bucket 13 comprises a pair of spaced-apart side walls 20 interconnected by a top wall 21 and a bottom Wall 22. The rear or back wall is produced by the curving of the top wall 21 to meet the bottom Wall 22. The side walls 2% are spaced apart a distance substantially greater than the distance between the top wall 21 and the bottom wall 22 so that the forward marginal edges of the side walls 20 and the top and bottom walls 21 and 22, respectively, define a rectangle longitudinally disposed transversely of the tractor It). The forward marginal edge of the bottom wall 22 carries a cutting edge 23, the ends of which extend a short distance upwardly of each side wall Zll. In the present embodiment of the invention, three plates 25 are provided. The wall opposite from the open end of the bucket 13, or the rear wall thereof, is provided on the rearward side thereof with flange means 2d. The lower end of the flange means 26 carries the pin means 18 for pivotal connection of the bucket to the forward end of the boom ll. The upper end of the flange means 26 carries the pin means 19 for pivotal connection of the bucket 13 to the linkage means 12.

The three plates 25 are substantially rectangular in shape and of a length substantially equal to the distance between the side walls 20. The plates 25 are secured between the side walls 2tl by some means such as welding and are positioned in a parallel spaced-apart relationship to each other. The plates 25 are also positioned substantially perpendicular to the surface defined by the open side of the bucket 13, or the forward marginal edges of the side walls 29, the top wall 21, and the cutting edge 23. The plates 25 are further positioned so that substantially the same number thereof are disposed on each side of a plane through pin means 18 and perpendicular to the open side of the bucket 13. The plates 25 are additionally positioned to extend partially in and partially out of the bucket 13, as can be seen in FIGURE 1.

in the operation of the present invention, the bucket is first adjusted to a position, such as shown in FIGURE 1, with the bottom wall of the bucket on the ground and with the plates 25 extending forwardly andupwardly. The tractor is then moved forwardly to project the bucket into the pile of granulated material and generally, concurrently therewith, the linkage means 12 is operated to pivot the bucket rearwardly, and the boom ll is raised in a scooping action to substantially till the bucket and bring the bucket to a carrying position such as shown in FIGURE 2. The tractor may then be moved to a remote location for dumping of the load. As the tractor travels to the remote location, the plates 25 in a position such as shown in FIGURE 2 will stabilize the free-flowing material in the bucket and will cause substantially a maximum load to be retained within the confines of the bucket and between the plates 25. Some loss of the load will occur at the side walls of the bucket; however, since the transverse dimension of the bucket is substantially greater than the distance from the cutting edge to the forward marginal edge of the upper wall 21, minor amounts of the load will be lost relative to the amounts retained by the plates 25.

Having described the invention, what is considered new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

'1. A loadable bucket construction for granulated material for a tractor loader comprising a pair of spacedapart side walls interconnected by top, rear, and bottom walls, means on said rear wall for operatively carrying said bucket on the forward end of a tractor loader, a plurality of substantially rectangularly shaped plates, said plurality of plates being secured in substantially a parallel spaced-apart relationship to each other between the side walls of said bucket and being positioned to extend outwardly of and substantially perpendicular to the plane of the open side of said bucket to increase a load carrying capacity thereof.

2. A loadable bucket construction for granulated material for a tractor loader comprising a pair of spaced-apart side Walls interconnected by' top, rear, and bottom walls, means on said rear wall for operatively carrying said bucket on the forward end of a tractor loader, a plurality of substantially rectangularly shaped plates, said plurality of plates being secured in substantially a parallel spacedapart relationship to each other between the side walls of said bucket and being positioned so that a plane including the forward marginal edges of said top wall and said bottom wall substantially perpendicularly intersects said plates, said plates extending inwardly of said plane to stabilize a load in said bucket.

3. A loadable bucket construction for granulated material for a tractor loader comprising a pair of spacedapart side walls interconnected by top, rear, and bottom walls, flange means carried on the rearward side of. said rear wall and including pin means for pivotally carrying said bucket on the forward end of a tractor loader for pivotal movement of said bucket about the axis of said pin means, a plurality of substantially rectangularly shaped plates, said plurality of plates being secured in substantially a parallel spaced-apart relationship to each other between the side Walls of said bucket and being positioned substantially perpendicular to the plane of the open side of said bucket with substantially the same number of plates being disposed on each side of and parallel to a plane including the axis of said pin means and perpendicular to the plane of the open side of said bucket whereby said plates stabilize a load and increase the load carrying capacity of said bucket.

4. A loadable bucket construction for tractor loaders comprising a pair of spaced-apart side walls interconnected by top, rear and bottom walls, means on said rear wall for operatively carrying said bucket on the forward end of a tractor loader, a plurality of substantially rectangularly shaped plates, said plurality of plates being secured in substantially a paralleled spaced-apart relationship to each other between the side walls of said bucket and being positioned so that a plane including the forward marginal edges of said top wall and said bottom wall substantially perpendicularly intersects said plates, said plates further extending inwardly and outwardly of said plane to stabilize a load in said bucket and to increase a load carrying capacity thereof.

5. A loadable bucket construction for tractor loaders comprising a pair of spaced-apart sidewalls interconnected by top, rear and bottom walls, said upper and bottom walls having respective forward edges of which the upper of such edges is rearward of the other thereof, and a pinrality of elongated plates mounted on certain of said walls and disposed in laterally-spaced planes which are parallel with said fiorward edges and perpendicular to an open-side plane commonly defined by said forward edges, at least part of said plates projecting forwardly of said open-side plane, and at least part of said plates projecting rearwardly of said open-side plane.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,986,294 Gronryd May 30, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 185,752 Austria June 11, 1956 xii" 

5. A LOADABLE BUCKET CONSTRUCTION FOR TRACTOR LOADERS COMPRISING A PAIR OF SPACED-APART SIDEWALLS INTERCONNECTED BY TOP, REAR AND BOTTOM WALLS, SAID UPPER AND BOTTOM WALLS HAVING RESPECTIVE FORWARD EDGES OF WHICH THE UPPER OF SUCH EDGES IS REARWARD OF THE OTHER THEREOF, AND A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED PLATES MOUNTED ON CERTAIN OF SAID WALLS AND DISPOSED IN LATERALLY-SPACED PLANES WHICH ARE PARALLEL 